A colonoscopy is an examination of the large intestine or colon through the use of a colonoscope. A colonoscope is a flexible, tube-like inspection device having a camera at its end. Colonoscopies are performed for a variety of medical reasons including detection of inflamed tissue, ulcers, abnormal growths or polyps, and colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy as a screening tool to detect colorectal cancer has increased significantly since 2000.
During a colonoscopy, a colonoscope is inserted into a patient's rectum and then advanced to the beginning of the colon (an area known as the cecum) in order to examine the lining of the large intestine. The efficiency and accuracy of this procedure is largely dependent on the ease with which the colonoscope can be advanced. During the procedure, the colon may become over-distended or flopped in unnatural directions creating loops that hinder the advancement of the colonoscope and resulting in patient discomfort, longer examination times, and potentially inaccurate or incomplete screenings.
Currently, the difficulty in advancing the scope has been addressed by utilizing a surgical technician to manually support the patient's colon with pressure. This is time-consuming and dependent on the particular surgical assistant's strength, technique, and endurance, as well as training. Another way to apply differential pressure, particularly in larger patients, is to roll the patient from the left side to a supine or to a prone position. Often this is not an easy task with a sedated patient.